Simulated basketball game



Oct. 11, 1955 H. B. BLANTON 2,720,397

SIMULATED BASKETBALL GAME Filed March 16, 1955 Harv/e B. B/aflfon INVENT DR.

A TTORNE Y United States Patent SIMULATED BASKETBALL GAME Harvie B. lilanton, Dallas, Tex. Application March 16, 1953, Serial No. 342,379

1 Claim. (Cl. 273---85) This invention relates to amusement devices and more particularly to a basketball game device.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved amusement device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved amusement device having a ball projecting device and a hoop, the ball projecting device being movably mounted whereby it may be aimed to project a ball toward and through the hoop.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved amusement device, of the type described above, having a hood and a trough for confining the limits of movement of the ball.

With the foregoing objects in view, the invention has further reference to certain features of accomplishment which will become apparent as the description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the amusement device;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, the plunger of the ball projecting mechanism being shown in partially retracted position; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view, with some parts broken away, of the ball projecting mechanism.

Referring now to the drawing, the amusement device includes an L-shaped frame 11 having a horizontal base member 12 and a vertical back member 13 rising vertically from the back end of the base member and secured thereto by screws (not shown) or in any other suitable manner.

An upright support 14 is disposed on the base member adjacent the front end thereof and is held rotatably on the base member by a pivot pin 15. The pivot pin 15 has a threaded screw portion 16 adjacent its head whereby it is secured to the base member and a pivot portion 17 which extends into a bore in the upright support. A substantially U-shaped frame extends from the back member 13 to the front support member 14 and includes a pair of side frame members 18 and 19 and a cross member 20. The back ends of the side frame members are rigidly secured to the back member by screws (not shown) or in any other suitable manner, and extend convergently forwardly to the cross member whose upper side portions are recessed to receive the forward ends of the side frame members which are secured to the cross member by glue or in any other suitable manner.

The cross member 20 rests on the flat top of the front support member 14 and is secured thereto by a pivot pin 21 which has a threaded portion 22 by means of which it is secured to the cross member 20 and a pivot portion 23 which extends into a bore in the top of the front support member. The two pivot pins 15 and 21 are 2,720,397 Patented Oct. 11, 1955 vertically aligned so that the front support member may be rotated through a certain angle about the pivot pins.

A hood 24 of transparent plastic, has a curved top 25 Whose back and front edge portions are secured to the top of the back member 13 and the cross member 20, respectively, by means of an adhesive: and forwardly convergent sides 26 and 27 integral with the top 25 whose bottom edge portions are secured to the side frame members 18 and 19, respectively, by an adhesive. The rear edge portions of the sides 26 and 27 are secured to the sides of the back member 13 by an adhesive.

A trough 28 of a slightly flexible transparent plastic has its upper side edge portions secured to the side frame members 18 and 19 and its rear edges to the back member 13 by an adhesive. The trough slopes downwardly to the ball receiving upper end of a recess 29 in the front support member whereby a ball falling onto the trough will roll downwardly and into the recess 29.

A plunger 30 is mounted in the recess 29 for reciprocable movement therein and has a rear end portion which extends outwardly through the reduced portion 31 of the recess 29. A handle 32 is secured to the outer end of the plunger which limits upward inward movement of the plunger, the latter being shown in Figure 3 in a partly retracted or withdrawn position by contact with the surface 33 of the front support member. A piston 34 is secured to the inner end of the plunger 30, the piston being biased inwardly by a spring 35 which bears against the lower surface of the piston and against the lower wall 36 of the recess 29.

The front support member may be formed to represent a human being and in this case arms 37 and 38 may be provided. Each of the arms includes an uppr arm section 39 pivoted to a side of the front support member, as at 40, and a lower arm section 41, pivoted to the upper arm section 39 as at 42. The lower arm sections are pivotally connected to the piston 34 by means of a pin 43 which extends through the piston and through side slots 44 in the front support member into and through suitable apertures in the lower arm section. The outer ends of the pin may be bent as shown at A to retain the pin in place by preventing szidewise movement thereof. It will be apparent that the arms will move with the piston simulating the throwing movement of the arms of the human being when the plunger is released from fully retracted or withdrawn position to project or propel the ball 45 toward the target or basket 46 secured to the back member between the trough and the hood. The forward portion of the trough is curved inwardly to permit the upper hand portions of the lower arm sections to move on opposite outer sides of the trough.

In use, the operator seizes the plunger handle 32 and retracts or withdraws the plunger 34. At the same time, the operator pivots or rotates the support 14 about the pivot pins 15 and 21 to aim the ball 45 toward the basket. Sumcient clearance is provided between the forward edges of the trough to permit such rotation of the front support member through a certain angle. In addition, the trough may be made of a flexible material so that additional rotation of the front support member may be obtained by bending or flexing such portions of the trough as contact the front support member at either opposite extreme rotated position of the front support member.

When the handle 32 is released, the spring 35 imparts a certain upward velocity to the piston which propels or throws the ball 45 upwardly toward the back member. If the ball is aimed properly and if the proper velocity is imparted to the ball, the ball will fall. through the basket 46. The ball in all cases rolls down the trough and back to ball receiving recess 29 so that the operator may again attempt to cause the ball to be thrown through the hoop.

It will be apparent now that a new and improved amusement device has been illustrated and described whose operator requires not only skill in gauging the force with which the ball must bepropelled by the piston 34, by sensing the distance the plunger is withdrawn, but also proper aiming by rotating the front support member or ball-throwing orpropelling mechanism about the pivot pins 15-and 21.

M-a-nifestly, the construction as shown and described is capable of some modification and such modification as may be construed to fall within thescope and meaning ofthe appended claim is also considered to be within the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

An amusement device comprising in combination, a substantially L-shaped frame defining a horizontal base and a vertical rear end wall, a basket mounted on said end 'wall; a-manually operable ball propelling mechanism movably mounted on the front end of the base for throwing a ball toward said basket, an arcuate hood mounted on said end wall coextensive with said base having forwardly converging sides and against which said ball' is propelled to generally direct its flight toward said basket, a trough mounted on said end wall and inclined downwardly toward said ball propelling mechanism and having forwardly converging sides for delivering said ball to said mechanism, said ball propelling mechanism including a front support member rotatably mounted on said base between the forward ends of said hood and base, said front support member having a ball receiving recess, a plunger mounted in said recess for reciprocable movement therein, resilient means biasing said plunger for movement toward said basket; and means for manually retracting said plunger against the force exerted by said resilient means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,162,140 Cusick Nov. 30, 1915 1,821,918 Bishop Sept. 8, 1931 2,295,225 Lohr et al. Sept. 8, 1942 2,433,224 Koci et al. Dec. 23, 1947 

